The Rest of Colorado

i finally got my camera battery charged and the second half of the trip uploaded.  i am in love with some of these shots.  so much so...that i will let them speak for themselves.

my grandpa's old creel and my dad's fly rod.

Creede, Colorado

meanwhile...back at the ranch:

I must admit...it has taken me a while to get my groove back after getting home.  It was great to be re-united with Chad...but the heat and the lack of mountains, rivers, fishing, horses, and family laughter over empire games and memories have left me blue.  but...my yellow is comin back, slowly but surely.  In the mean time...I am playing games like beauty shop and make-up mommy, where I can keep my eyes closed most of the time while I either get my hair brushed and tied in all kinds of knots with bows, clips, ponytail holders, and ribbons...or the girls put make-up on my face wtih no rules.  It's actually pretty relaxing.  Especially when I remember to remove the scissors from the hair basket BEFORE I hear them snip.

It made me chuckle when Aiden asked me what "mascary" was.  And I got a little nervous when both boys made this face upon entering the room.  Chase  said, "I better get you some soap."

So, here is the situation with Trout.  I was headed to the small grocery in South Fork to get Annslee some Children's Ibuprofen.  As I was walking into the store, there was a family out front with these puppies.  A little, blonde girl held him up like Simba and said, "Do you want a puppy?"  Now I challenge any of you to not, at least hoooooold the puppy that was just about placed in your arms as if it was dropped right down from Heaven by Jesus himself.  I took him, but said, "Ohhhh no.  I can't take him.  My son is allergic to dogs."  The momma was a yellow lab that was only 9 months old...a teen mom.  The papa was a black lab.  They had a litter of 10 puppies and she couldn't take care of them all and they were giving them away.  So, naturally...I called my brother back at the cabin.  At first he said no.  But then decided that I was clearly right and that we just HAD to take this sweet puppy back from the ranch with us.  It didn't hurt that I said I would help out with the shots.  He told me to get a male.  Luckily the sweet, little bear cub that was sleeping in my arms was just that.  So...I just never put him down.  I went into the store and got him food and snagged the last bottle of children's advil and headed back to introduce Kevin to the pup that he new he could find a home for if it didn't work out with Timber...his dog, and surprise the kids.

Now...it should be added that Chase has been consistently praying that God would heal him of his dog allergy.  And not even because HE wanted a dog...but because he didn't want to be the reason his brother and sisters couldn't have one.

And wouldn't you know it?  Apparently, God answered that little boy's pure-hearted, selfless prayer...because he never broke out into hives.  Not even once.  Not even when he held him and was licked by him.

So...we kept him.

And we named him "Trout."  After all...trout was all we caught that week in Colorado.

Although...he may have caught us.